Morning Wake Up
by Dizzydodo
Summary: Maria does not want to wake up, but Altair is quite determined that she will. M for sexual situations.
1. Chapter 1

Rated M for sexual situations, possibly a Two-shot.

Maria groaned as sunlight pierced her sensitive eyes. still blurry from sleep. It looked to be approaching noon, far past her usual time of rising, but then it had been a busy night. She rolled over, unsurprised to find her husband's place empty- the master assassin would always have some item of pressing business to attend to naturally. Not that it kept him from his husbandly duties; she chuckled sleepily as her eyes slid shut once more. "You've slept half the day away" came a murmur from the doorway, Maria did not so much as start. having long since grown used to Altair's sudden appearances, what concerned her more was the thought that he might roust her from her bed at this unholy hour of the morning… afternoon? "I'm tired and it's your fault; you can hold down the fort alone for a day, I'm certain."

She pulled the blanket close and shut her eyes tight; perhaps if she ignored him he would go away. The bed dipped as Altair sat at her side, resting a gentle hand on her head, he began to stroke and she could hear the smile in his voice as he spoke "I _could_, but I am of no mind to work alone. Get up- if you will stay in Masyaf you must keep our ways."

Maria turned her head to nip his wrist playfully and buried her face in the pillow. If she could have seen Altair's sudden shift from fond smile to mischievous smirk doubtless she would have risen right away but as it was she gasped as the blanket was pulled forcefully away, baring her to the cold. She grabbed for the blanket with a vexed growl, but Altair took her wrists in a firm grip, stretching them out at her sides. He leaned forward to press his mouth to her ear and Maria shivered at his soft whisper: "I gave you an order."

Maria pulled her head sharply away as he traced a pattern along the shell of her ear and blew softly. "I am not inclined to obey." He chuckled darkly, "There is a price to be paid for insubordination." Maria found that sleep was quite suddenly the farthest thought from her mind and evidently Altair agreed, sweeping his tongue into her mouth and taking ruthlessly. Maria met him with equal fervor as she pulled his bottom lip into her mouth and bit, savoring the faint metallic taste of blood. Altair firmly yanked her hair back to bare her throat to his lips and teeth, nipping and sucking at the delicate flesh exposed. Maria swallowed a moan as he bit her collarbone sharply and pulled the soft skin into his mouth to lave it soothingly.

He pulled back slightly to admire the bruise before descending into the vulnerable hollow of her throat, tracing his tongue up the line of her throat to nibble at her jaw. Maria shifted against him, curling a leg around his waist to bring him closer and arching her body into his, delighting in his swiftly silenced groan- she lifted her free hand to catch at his robe, yanking impatiently at the ties but Altair pushed her hand away, catching her eyes he smirked, "No." "Not strictly fair, for you to be wearing all the clothes."

Maria gestured to her bare body and shot him a provocative look beneath lowered lashes. Altair shifted against her, allowing her to feel the effect she had on him, but to her disappointment he made no move to disrobe. He once again descended to leave a line of open-mouth kisses across her throat, between her breasts, latching onto her nipple with his teeth and tugging. Maria quickly forgot what exactly it was they had been debating a moment ago and lost herself in the sensation.

She traced a fingernail up his spine causing him to arch into her, biting almost to the point of pain then suckling gently as his other hand rose to cup her neglected breast, catching her other nipple between his fingers, he pinched harshly as Maria dug her nails into his back and raked them down. Altair's breath caught for a moment before he shifted away, Maria was distressed to hear a pleading sigh escape as she pulled insistently at his robes, trying to draw him back; he was swift to return and Maria rejoiced to feel his warm skin against hers but only for a moment.

She trembled as his too clever mouth moved to her stomach, she felt him smile just as he moved between her legs, pulling her legs over his shoulders and tugging against the fingers she had twined desperately in his hair. Maria gasped and arched as his tongue found her center, dipping in to taste her. She writhed, pulling insistently at his short hair and fighting to keep her breathing in check- it was too much, she could feel her climax building "Altair, please," Maria struggled to form the words "Please."

He stopped suddenly and rose, stretching as he slipped his robe and cowl on once more. "I am glad to see you are awake; I expect you in the main hall in twenty minutes. There is work to be done." He leaned forward to press a kiss to her lips and she could taste herself on his lips, a bitter reminder of exactly what she apparently would not have this morning. Maria scowled fiercely, "Remember your own words: there is always a price to be paid." Altair paused at the door, sweeping an insolent gaze over her exposed form, Maria, completely unselfconscious, rose from the bed to return his regard. "I look forward to it, darling." And he was gone. Maria sniffed disgustedly as she attended to her morning ablutions. He would get his. She would see to it personally.


	2. Chapter 2

I know I said Two shot, but there will be one more chapter. Bear with me. :)

She found him in the library that afternoon, scribbling furiously in his journal; Altair had dismissed the others to their duties some time ago and was now trying to make up for all the reports he really should have written days ago. Maria was going to distract him, he knew; it was really only a question of how long he could ignore her before she became insistent. As it turned out, he did not have long to wait.

The whisper of her clothes as she moved was enough to catch his attention, but he plowed determinedly on until she draped herself on his shoulders, pushing down with all her weight and catching his writing hand with hers. "You left me alone all morning. Did you really think I wouldn't find you?" He swallowed a laugh and hid his smile by turning his face from her. "Do you really think you could have found me if I had not wanted you to?" Maria nuzzled his neck softly, nipped along his jawline. "I'm certain of it, I know you too well." He squeezed her hand warningly, "That sounds like a challenge." "It is a promise".

He could feel her smirk against his shoulder, she was learning some of his bad habits, including his arrogance. This was as good a time as any to teach her the error of her ways. "Very well. A game, then. I will hide and if you find me I will take back everything I said and finish what I started this morning." She snorted, "We are not children to be playing games, and I expect to finish what we started right now." With that, she bit into his shoulder, running her hands down his front slowly to linger along the edges of his stomach, sliding down to scrape softly at his hip bones. Altair sucked in a startled breath, reaching to catch her hands but she moved too quickly and caught his instead, trapping them at his chest with a firm grip. "No. My turn." That didn't sound promising; clearly he just wasn't meant to get any work done today.

When he went still she allowed his hands to drop and pulled away, he could hear a whisper of cloth and the hiss of weapons leaving their sheaths, and just what the devil was she doing anyway? Altair turned to find her kneeling, arranging her weapons just so, her robe obviously discarded. "Someone could come in." Maria chuckled softly, "We'll just have to hope your reputation for reprimanding the poor fools that dare disturb your work will keep them at bay, won't we?" He made to move toward her but she held out her hands to stop him, catching his hips and guiding him back into his chair. "No. I said it was my turn; that means for now, _I_ give the orders."Altair could not quite stop himself from swallowing nervously, his throat was curiously dry, "Only for now, remember. I wouldn't like to find a mutiny on my hands."

Her smile turned vaguely predatory as she tugged at his belt, shifting his robes out of her way, arranging his knees so that she could kneel between them. He reached out to caress her face, tracing the lines of concentration that tightened her eyes as she sought out and discarded his weapons. She pulled back and brushed his hands away: "Hands on your desk, don't move them." It took him a moment to comply, it had been some time since he had taken anyone's orders, but it was Maria after all and if anyone could command him and expect to be obeyed it would be her. Even Malik could not quite go so far. He jumped when he felt her hands on his bare flesh, her nails tracing the outline of his muscles down to those intriguing indentations about his hip bones, she leaned forward to trace the trail with her tongue and Altair felt himself tremble slightly before he managed to regain control. "I have duties to attend to." He was rather proud of how steady his voice was in spite of all. Her breath was warm on his flesh as she replied "Yes, you have duties you want to attend to and I wanted a little longer abed. Alas, neither one of us is getting precisely what we want." Altair shuddered, "I wouldn't be so sure of that."

He arched as she moved forward again, running her hands down his legs and back up the inside of his thigh, her mouth moving lower still. It didn't help that he was well-acquainted with precisely what she could do with that wicked tongue. As said tongue traced him, he reached to twine his fingers in her hair and she pulled back with a mocking frown. "I said no touching and I expect to be obeyed. Prices paid remember." He clenched the edge in a desperate grip as she resumed her ministrations, those callused hands and that talented mouth working together in sweet torment. Altair stifled his groans as she moved steadily faster, closing her mouth about him and squeezing him firmly. His eyes did not want to stay open, and his vision was darkening slightly. He was too close… and then she stopped.

Maria rose and stretched, moving to quickly collect her things and dress before his mind had quite processed what had happened. "We'll call it even, shall we? You have duties to attend to and I really should head out to the practice court. It's been a while since I went through my paces." Altair growled, "Are you sure you want to do this?" She grinned childishly "Absolutely. Revenge is sweet, I would know." "Tease." "No worse than you."

Maria leaned forward to kiss him softly, reminding him painfully of exactly what he might have had. He tried to pull her in for a deeper kiss but she resisted, twisting out of his arms as she laughed gaily. "Meet me later in the practice courts. We can discuss it there." Altair nodded, a ferocious scowl on his face that promised retribution. "I will." Even after she had left, it was some time before he could get back to work.


	3. Chapter 3

And the final part. :)

It was cool even for evening as Maria finished her swordplay, wincing as she stretched her already abused muscles. Truth be told she was a little disappointed, having half expected Altair to follow her out immediately, yet here she was nearly two and a half hours later and there was still no sign of her hopefully remorseful husband. If she hadn't succeeded in teaching him a lesson in manners this afternoon then he might never learn, not that she wouldn't enjoy the teaching anyway. She had only just put up her sword when someone caught her from behind, trapping her sore arms at her side and forcing her into the crook of his shoulder. She smiled, speak of the devil and he appeared it seemed.

"You missed practice and I am quite done in; you should see if you can find someone else to spar. I wouldn't want to see you going soft in your old age." Altair snorted, "You're only upset because I caught you unaware; getting rather complacent in your old age, aren't you? We could work on that if you like."

Maria leaned back into him as his arms moved up to her shoulders, massaging gently as he moved, she hummed contentedly.

"Hm. You might be right, we could both do with a little more practice." He leaned down to kiss the top of her head softly, "Get your sword, I find I am concerned for my favorite recruit. I think you need extra training." Maria groaned, "I'm exhausted." She could hear the whine in her voice, and at this moment didn't particularly care.

"It wouldn't be a fair match, you've been writing in ledgers all morning and-" "And you've had a chance to prepare. If you can't take on one old soft assassin then maybe you should consider settling down, starting a family…" Maria barked a laugh, "My husband wouldn't agree, he needs me to watch his back, you see." she teased.

She could feel his soft laughter, "I don't think he'd mind all that much, he could look after himself for a while I think." Maria stepped away, "I think not. I'll just find that sword shall I? We'll settle it once and for all." Altair bowed mockingly, "By all means, let's finish what we started."

The smirk hovering about his lips gave infinite meaning to his words and Maria felt a small thrill run through her, almost banishing her fatigue. This duel would be rougher than usual as hard as she had worked this afternoon, but if she were clever maybe she could turn it to her advantage.

Altair chuckled at the sudden gleeful skip of her step; really, he didn't mind losing as long as they finished their little battle of wills to the satisfaction of both. Then again, there was professional pride to be considered; she was good, but in her condition she would not stand a chance against a master assassin. Still, for the sake of her pride, and no little amount of his left over frustration from this afternoon he would not take it easy on her.

He was casually playing with a short sword when she returned, flipping it from right hand to left as he completed a complex weave of twirls moving slowly to savor every motion. Maria unsheathed her sword and took a firm grip, sweeping it out to to her side to test her good arm; it trembled just a little, but she could compensate if she caught him off guard. She circled him slowly and he followed her with his eyes, making no move to prepare but still twirling that cursed blade.

So bloody arrogant; she'd see how long that would last. She swept in quickly, feinting to the left and he stepped back to finally assume a guard stance, still sporting that lazy smirk; she swept her blade in low and he parried with a speed that belied his seeming indifference. Maria swept her blade wide tauntingly, leaving herself open and he took the bait, swooping in gracefully with a side swipe that she blocked with considerable difficulty.

Perhaps taunts were not the wisest way to go, her breathing was already unsteady but whether from exertion or excitement she did not know. Altair moved into close range and Maria swore, her brief moment of distraction might well have cost her the match, but she wasn't going to lose so easily as this; fair play be damned. As he moved into her reach, she kicked out, curving a foot behind his calf to pull him into her, throwing him off balance for one crucial second so that she could throw him back.

Altair glared, "That wasn't strictly fair, this is swordplay, not a wrestling match." Maria shook her head, "The rules only matter when they're turned against you right? Otherwise any advantage is fair."

He examined her critically, apparently coming to a decision he resumed his guard stance with a nod, "Very well, consider the rules suspended." Maria rolled her eyes, "Now that I have your lordship's approval, I suppose all is well."

He moved swiftly, raising his sword to attack only when she raised her blade in defense, he cast it aside, ramming her inner shoulder with enough force to cause her to loosen her grip on the hilt of her blade, before she quite knew what was happening she was lying in the dirt with her weapon cast aside and one very triumphant assassin pinning her there with his knee resting lightly on her ribcage. Clearly he thought this would be the end of it; he was wrong. Maria dug her feet into the ground, arching her hips so that he would be forced to change his center of balance before twisting sharply as she lashed out at him, as expected Altair attempted to move with the false blow and she in turn spread herself over him, pinning his shoulders triumphantly with her knees to either side of him.

She leaned forward to kiss him roughly, and he caught her hair to hold her when she began to pull back. As she began to relax, he arched and twisted, pinning her beneath again and she smiled fondly at the self-satisfied gleam in his eye. She would let him think he had won this round, as long as she got what she wanted.

With his practiced hands, Altair made short work of her training gear, the buckles and ties were no match against his years of experience, but then she was not exactly a novice herself and arrogant creature that he was, his armor was minimal at best. Or perhaps like her this had been precisely what he intended; trickster, too clever by half. Maria's thoughts cut off with a sharp indrawn breath as Altair's hands skimmed down her waist.

"You're cold" she gasped, "Make me warm?" he whispered throatily. She caught his hands in hers, clasping them as warmth slowly returned to his chilled fingers, and guiding them up her body, Altair studied the way her muscles trembled at his touch, treasuring each involuntary spasm. She dug her nails into his shoulders as he leaned close, drawing him down for another open-mouthed kiss, pausing to nip at the corner of his lips as he smiled. She would wipe that self-satisfied expression off his face if it was the last thing she did.

Maria arched as his fingers traced her ribs, temptingly close to her breasts, but refusing her wordless pleas. She winced, the ground was rough and there was a pebble digging into her back, she knew just the thing to take care of it. She trapped his hips with her legs as she arched again and pushed into the crease of his arm as he gasped and faltered, with a twist she had him on his back. Much better. It was her turn to smirk at the momentary surprise that flitted across his face.

"Better this way."

His gaze swept down her body and back up again, lingering on her breasts. "I agree".

Maria laughed outright until he caught her hips to draw her back down, sucking at her collar bone in just that way, dipping into the sensitive hollow of her throat to lick as her head fell back. She fought to draw back again, her hands caressing his stomach, watching the smooth glide of muscles beneath his flesh, delighting in the effect she had on him. Altair clutched her hips, moving her against him insistently as he writhed but she held steady, continuing her loving torment, following the path of her fingers with her mouth, leaving small bruises.

"You had best leave that robe on for a few days, otherwise they'll know exactly what you've been up to. These marks were never made by weapons." He caught her arms and drew her back up, biting sharply into her shoulder, laving it gently.

Moving down to capture her hand, he traced her soft pulse with his tongue, licking and pulling until he had left a number of marks himself.

"I won't be alone."

He arched sharply into her and she fell forward, caught up in his embrace once more.

She shifted her hips gently, rocking against him as he drew her breast into his mouth, moving in time with her. She had meant to savor this, but after playing this game for most of the day her patience was fast running out, and judging by Altair's increasingly unsteady breaths, he would agree.

She rocked violently against him and he arched, both giving a shocked gasp as he slid smoothly into her. He clenched her hips tightly enough to bruise as she rode him, her nails digging into his chest to leave red scratches, small droplets of blood just beading near the surface, he only held her all the tighter, gasping as her orgasm caught her and shuddering as his own caught him unaware.

They lay in silence for a moment, content simply to bask in each other's company for a time.

"You had the advantage, I was fatigued." "Is that so?" She bit his shoulder sharply, "Some insolent bastard woke me too early this morning."

"Is that so? Insolent bastard, indeed. I hope you taught him a lesson?" "One he won't forget for some time, I suspect."

Altair hummed softly, "I think he will, men are forgetful creatures, they require constant reinforcement." He kissed her softly, moving down to lick at the pale bruises on her neck and shoulders.

Maria allowed him to roll her beneath him, " You're right. He could use another lesson, I think." Altair shook his head in playful reprimand. "When will you learn that I am always right?"

Maria wrinkled her nose, tilting her head for another kiss. "Then again, he is too arrogant by half; his pride is sufficient company to warm him."

She gasped as Altair shifted sharply against her. "I wonder, if I leave him to meditate on the nature of humility with Malik-"

Altair growled as he gripped her tighter. "You'd better not."

"No?" She smiled softly, "Well, you know best."


End file.
